Quick tip: Analog signal from a ‘digital’ distance sensor
I accidentally purchased a GP2Y0D21YK0F when I meant to get a GP2Y0A21YK0F. The digital version only sends a high or low signal depending on whether there is an item within a preset distance. The analog version gives a 0-2.5V analog voltage depending on the distance (which is what I really wanted) Unfortunately, with a tight deadline & no time to reorder, I decided to see if the analog signal was still somewhere on the PCB, just not on the connector. A quick probe with my trusty scope says “yes”!
Adafruit publishes a wide range of writing and video content, including interviews and reporting on the maker market and the wider technology world. Our standards page is intended as a guide to best practices that Adafruit uses, as well as an outline of the ethical standards Adafruit aspires to. While Adafruit is not an independent journalistic institution, Adafruit strives to be a fair, informative, and positive voice within the community – check it out here: adafruit.com/editorialstandards
Stop breadboarding and soldering – start making immediately! Adafruit’s Circuit Playground is jam-packed with LEDs, sensors, buttons, alligator clip pads and more. Build projects with Circuit Playground in a few minutes with the drag-and-drop MakeCode programming site, learn computer science using the CS Discoveries class on code.org, jump into CircuitPython to learn Python and hardware together, TinyGO, or even use the Arduino IDE. Circuit Playground Express is the newest and best Circuit Playground board, with support for CircuitPython, MakeCode, and Arduino. It has a powerful processor, 10 NeoPixels, mini speaker, InfraRed receive and transmit, two buttons, a switch, 14 alligator clip pads, and lots of sensors: capacitive touch, IR proximity, temperature, light, motion and sound. A whole wide world of electronics and coding is waiting for you, and it fits in the palm of your hand.
Have an amazing project to share? The Electronics Show and Tell is every Wednesday at 7pm ET! To join, head over to YouTube and check out the show’s live chat – we’ll post the link there.
I’m using the digital output units for a project and I appreciate this information. Thanks.
what are your thoughts of the output of the digital sensor. My engineer has been pretty outspoken about this when trying to interface to our controller.
Assuming your sensor is the same as mine, this mod can be done internally – you will need something to cut the trace though. http://img46.imageshack.us/my.php?image=d2asharp1xp7.jpg > your connector might be wired differently, but you get the idea 🙂 Then you won’t see (or if space is an issue, have) a wire poking out the back. :]
I like this, but answer me this…Why would this need to be done?
I have an assortment of Parallax sensors, which are all digital, and the only thing I can think of is so you don’t have to use a timer with the pwm feedback to measure your input.
Those Parallax modules aren’t digital in the true sense of the word, as they encode analog information into the length of the pulse, which has to be measured before a binary number is obtained. This sensor originally only gives an indication of the presence of an object within it’s range. A high reading means there is, a low reading means there isn’t.
Good reverse engineering. The question of course is what are you building with it?
I’m using the digital output units for a project and I appreciate this information. Thanks.
what are your thoughts of the output of the digital sensor. My engineer has been pretty outspoken about this when trying to interface to our controller.
With this method you get both an analog value to use and the threshold value that was already built into the distance sensor. w00t!
Assuming your sensor is the same as mine, this mod can be done internally – you will need something to cut the trace though.
http://img46.imageshack.us/my.php?image=d2asharp1xp7.jpg > your connector might be wired differently, but you get the idea 🙂 Then you won’t see (or if space is an issue, have) a wire poking out the back. :]
I like this, but answer me this…Why would this need to be done?
I have an assortment of Parallax sensors, which are all digital, and the only thing I can think of is so you don’t have to use a timer with the pwm feedback to measure your input.
Those Parallax modules aren’t digital in the true sense of the word, as they encode analog information into the length of the pulse, which has to be measured before a binary number is obtained. This sensor originally only gives an indication of the presence of an object within it’s range. A high reading means there is, a low reading means there isn’t.